Care Carmona bonsai

In the Netherlands and similar climates, Carmona is mainly an indoor bonsai. Place it in a very bright spot, preferably as close as possible to a window with plenty of natural daylight. A temperature of around 20 °C is beneficial, and sharp temperature drops should be avoided. During the warm summer months, it can be placed outdoors when the nights are also warm enough, but we recommend keeping it indoors. Indoors, a lack of light and low humidity can cause problems, especially in winter; a grow light can be useful then. Always protect the tree from cold drafts and frost.

Keep the substrate evenly moist, but not constantly waterlogged. Check the tree regularly and water thoroughly as soon as the surface of the substrate begins to dry; then let the excess water drain completely through the drainage holes. The water requirement is higher in summer than in winter. A fixed amount of water or a fixed number of waterings per week is therefore not reliable. Carmona responds poorly both to prolonged drought and to constantly wet roots. Hard tap water can cause chlorosis, making the leaves lighter or yellowish; soft water or rainwater is therefore a good choice when your tap water is very rich in lime. To increase the humidity around the tree, the pot can be placed above a humidity tray containing moist substrate, without the bottom of the pot being permanently in the water.

The Carmona is best fertilized regularly from spring through autumn. Because of its sensitive roots, it is solid organic bonsai fertilizer specifically recommended. Liquid bonsai fertilizer is also suitable, but must be used precisely according to the indicated dosage and applied only to moist soil. In winter, less fertilizer is used for a tree that is growing less actively. If a Carmona continues to grow actively all year round with sufficient light and warmth, fertilizer can also be applied cautiously in winter. An exact frequency in applications per month is not reliably specified for the Carmona; therefore, follow the dosage and frequency of the fertilizer used.

Carmona tolerates pruning well, and regular pruning helps develop a compact crown and fine branching. New shoots can be pruned back once they have formed approximately 6 to 8 leaves . We then recommend cutting them back to approximately 2 leaves. Pruning can generally be carried out throughout the year as long as the tree is healthy and actively growing. Young shoots are flexible and easy to prune, but older branches become hard and brittle. Use a sharp bonsai or twig shear and suitable bonsai tools for thicker branches, such as a concave cutter. Larger pruning wounds can be protected with wound paste, partly because fungi can cause damage through pruning wounds.

A Carmona can be wired throughout the year, but young branches are much more suitable for this than older branches. Young shoots are relatively flexible, while older branches become hard and brittle and can break more easily. Aluminum bonsai wire is practical for carefully shaping young branches. Check the wire regularly during active growth and remove it before it starts cutting into the bark. With older branches, do not try to make a sharp bend all at once.

A Carmona should be repotted approximately every 2 to 3 years depending on how quickly the roots have grown. Repot when the substrate becomes compacted, water drains poorly, or the pot is heavily root-bound. Only repot in spring. Be careful with root pruning, as Carmona roots are sensitive and do not tolerate heavy root pruning well. After repotting, use a well-draining substrate and give the tree time to recover before resuming normal fertilization.

The substrate must combine two properties: good drainage and sufficient moisture retention. We recommend doing one of the following:

1. 100% Akadama
2. 80% Akadama, 20% Pumice (pumice stone)

Avoid compact potting soil that remains soaking wet for a long time, as the roots are sensitive to both oxygen deprivation and drying out.

The bonsai must be kept indoors all year round. In specific cases, you may choose to place the bonsai outdoors in summer, but in winter, the bonsai must definitely be kept indoors.

Under unfavorable conditions, Carmona can become susceptible to spider mites, aphids, scale insects, and whiteflies . Especially low light, dry indoor air, and a weakened tree increase the risk of problems. With a light infestation, you can inspect the affected parts and remove pests by hand; with a heavier infestation, a suitable pesticide for ornamental plants may be necessary. Improving light, humidity, and overall growing conditions is important to prevent recurrence. Hard tap water can also cause chlorosis; fertilizer containing iron may help with this. In exceptional cases, fungus can enter through pruning wounds and cause branch dieback. Therefore, use clean pruning tools and protect larger pruning wounds.. Vooral weinig licht, droge binnenlucht en een verzwakte boom vergroten de kans op problemen. Bij een lichte aantasting kun je aangetaste delen controleren en plagen handmatig verwijderen; bij een grotere aantasting kan een geschikt bestrijdingsmiddel voor sierplanten nodig zijn. Het verbeteren van licht, luchtvochtigheid en de algemene groeicondities is belangrijk om herhaling te voorkomen. Hard leidingwater kan daarnaast chlorose veroorzaken; ijzerhoudende voeding kan daarbij helpen. Schimmel kan in uitzonderlijke gevallen via snoeiwonden binnendringen en taksterfte veroorzaken. Werk daarom met schoon snoeigereedschap en bescherm grotere snoeiwonden.